Ministry of Panchayati Raj
Strengthening of Panchayati Raj Institutions
Nearly 3 lakh crore have been provided by Fifteenth Finance Commission to the States for distribution among Panchayati Raj Institutions
Ministry of Panchayati Raj has intensively engaged States for devolution of powers to the Panchayats
As the performance of the Panchayats depends on the extent of powers and resources devolved to them, Ministry of Panchayati Raj  has intensively engaged States fordevolution of powers to the Panchayats. The status of State-wise devolution of 29 Subjects to the Panchayats is furnished in the Annexure.
Under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Rashtriya Gram SwarajAbhiyan , financial support have been provided to the States/ Union Territories  for various activities relating to strengthening of Panchayats including capacity building of PRIs. Similarly, by successive Finance Commissions, more funds have been provided to the States for distribution among Panchayati Raj Institutions  as under:-
1. Tenth Finance Commission  : Rs.4380.93 crore
2. Eleventh Finance Commission : Rs.8000.00 crore
3. Twelfth Finance Commission  : Rs.20,000.00 crore
4. Thirteenth Finance Commission  : Rs.65160.71crore
5. Fourteenth Finance Commission : Rs.2,00,292.20 crore
6. Fifteenth Finance Commission : Rs.2,97,555.00 crore
For the proper functioning of the Panchayati Raj Institutions, sufficient manpower has to be provided by the States and Union Territories  as the matter comes within their purview. Ministry of Panchayati Raj has been advising States/UTs in this regard from time to time.
In terms of Article 243H of the Constitution of India, the State Legislatures may, by law, authorize, the Panchayats to levy, collect and appropriate taxes, duties, tolls and fees; assign to the Panchayats such taxes, duties, tolls and fees subject to conditions and limits; provide for grants-in-aid to the Panchayats from the Consolidated Fund of the State, and create its own fund to credit its money to. In terms of Article 243-I, the Governor shall constitute State Finance Commission every five years to review the financial position of the Panchayats and make recommendations to the Governor as to :-
- the principles which should govern the distribution between the State and the Panchayats of the net proceeds of the taxes, duties, tolls and fees leviable by the State, which may be divided between them and the allocation between the Panchayats at all levels of their respective shares of such proceeds; the determination of the taxes, duties, tolls and fees which may be assigned to, or appropriated by, Panchayats, and the grants-in-aid to the Panchayats from the consolidated fund of the state;
- the measures needed to improve the financial position of the Panchayats and
- Any other matter referred to the commission by the Governor in the interests of sound finance of the Panchayats.
Annexure
Status of State-wise devolution of 29 Subjects to the Panchayats
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S.No.
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States
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No.of subjects devolved
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1
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Andhra Pradesh
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25
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2
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Assam
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21
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3
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Bihar
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26
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4
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Chhattisgarh
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20
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5
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Goa|
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-
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6
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Gujarat
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21
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7
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Haryana
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29
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8
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Himachal Pradesh
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29
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9
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Jharkhand
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18
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10
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Karnataka
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29
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11
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Kerala
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29
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12
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Madhya Pradesh
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14
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13
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Maharashtra
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29
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14
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Manipur
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5
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15
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Odisha
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21
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16
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Punjab
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9
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17
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Rajasthan
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25
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18
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Sikkim
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29
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19
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Tamil Nadu
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28
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20
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Telangana
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14
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21
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Tripura
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12
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22
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Uttar Pradesh
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26
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23
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Uttrakhand
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11
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24
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West Bengal
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28
State Government of Goa has informed that it has not devolved any subject to Panchayats.
This information was given by the Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj Shri Kapil Moreshwar Patil in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.